Category Archives: Information Security Policies

New Point-of-Sale Device Security Policy

The piercing lens of information security changes focus quite often.  In recent weeks the security vulnerability lens is focused on point-of-sale (POS) devices.  And there seems to be good reason.  The Target breach, perhaps the largest reporting breach in history, seems to be the result of malicious software inserted into these devices via a network hole […]

Information Security Policies According to NIST

Five Best Practices from NIST 800-53 In April 2013, NIST made the final updates to their complete catalog of information security requirements, Special Publication 800-53 Revision 4 – Security and Privacy Controls for Federal Information Systems and Organizations.  The catalog is BIG – it contains hundreds of information security and data privacy requirements organized into […]

Security Policies to implement the DSD Top 35

In July 2011, The Australian Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) published an updated list of their Top 35 Mitigation Strategies. This list was based on the analysis of real-world events within the government agencies, and is designed to identify the top set of controls that would have the most impact on reducing actual incidents. The list […]

The Information Security Policy Hierarchy

Developing A Governing Policy & Subsidiary Policies A Maturing Field: As the discipline of information security becomes more sophisticated, codified, standardized, and mature, it is not surprising that the old-fashioned approach to information security policy writing is no longer appropriate. We are talking here about the “one-size-fits-all” information security policy that is supposed to apply […]

Security Policy on Social Networking Sites

Social Networking sites present some unique challenges for organizations that must attract and keep young workers. Is the use of social networking sites at work a necessary perk or an unacceptable risk to corporate information? Some argue that organizations must allow access to social networking and other Web 2.0 sites to help attract a more […]